8 Jun 2013

Lions player cleared of biting

1:27 pm on 8 June 2013

Irish prop Cian Healy has been forced out of the British and Irish Lions rugby tour of Australia due to injury, just hours after being cleared of a biting charge.

The Lions issued a statement on Friday saying Scotland prop Ryan Grant had been drafted in as extra cover after scans revealed extensive damage to Healy's left ankle, which he injured in Wednesday's 69-17 win over Western Force in Perth.

England prop Alex Corbisiero was already on his way from Argentina to join the Lions squad as cover for Healy.

Grant was then called in from Scotland's tour to South Africa as an extra reinforcement after Welsh frontrower Gethin Jenkins withdrew from Saturday's tour match against the Queensland Reds due to a calf strain.

Mako Vunipola will replace Jenkins in the Lions line-up against the Reds.

Earlier on Friday Healy had been cleared of a biting charge after judicial officer Nigel Hampton QC found insufficient evidence to support allegations he bit Western Force halfback Brett Sheehan during the Lions' win in Perth.

The loosehead prop had been cited after Sheehan made an on-field complaint in the 17th minute but Sheehan admitted at halftime he wasn't sure whether it was accidental or deliberate.